


Awake?

by WitchStuff



Category: My Mad Fat Diary
Genre: Drunk Texting, F/M, Fluff, Fun, Texting, cute drunk, friends don't let friends drink and text
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-12 07:26:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3348662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchStuff/pseuds/WitchStuff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Friends don't let friends drink and text.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fic prompt from @borntosik, who wondered what Rae and Finn’s relationship would’ve been like today, if they had stuff like internet, smart phones, texting, whatsapp… you get it.
> 
> My thanks as always to Superbeta @madfatty.

_**Finn Nelson:** awake?_

Rae stared at the phone. She sat up in bed, rubbed her sleepy face and took one more look.

_**Finn Nelson:** awake?_

Yep. The message was there on her Whatsapp, there was no mistaking it.

But wait. She’d been falling asleep. What if she was in that strange place when you’re not really awake anymore but you’re not really asleep, and your brain conjures up the weirdest shit? Yes, that made sense. She’d had an awful day. Spent most of it having a little private pity party, was dead tired, and now she was probably having one of her “Finn-wants-to-come-over-and-play-tonsil-hockey-with-me” dreams, only her stupid mind started the plot way too early. Rae leaned back down and pulled the covers tighter around herself. How many times did she have to tell her subconscious she didn’t need a plot? Just go straight to the snogging, please and thank you.

Her phone pinged.

_**Finn Nelson:** rae are you awake_

She blinked in the glow of the screen. Shit, this was real. This was happening. Finn Nelson was booty-calling her! Except that they don’t do that. And also that her booty was not something boys craved in the middle of the night. Or at all.

The phone made a series of pings.

__**Finn Nelson:**_ rae_

__**Finn Nelson:**_ rae_

__**Finn Nelson:**_ rae_

_**Finn Nelson:** rae wake up i missyyoydisle11_

What the hell was going on? Seriously, she was so confused. She sat back up, turning the bedside lamp on. Well, if he wanted to wake her up, mission accomplished.

Should she answer? What would she possibly say? “Well, I’m awake now, dickhead”, is what she would probably say in actual life. But the fact that they were on Whatsapp gave her an advantage she never had when talking to people in person - she could actually think before she spewed whatever came into her mind.

She was biting her lip, trying to think what Chloe might have texted to a boy (probably something raunchy and flirty. Probably with a sexy selfie attached. Yeah, no, Rae could never do any of that), when the phone pinged again.

 _ _ **Finn Nelson:**__ _Hey Rae, it’s Archie. Sorry about all that before. Finn’s drunk. Not to worry, though, I’ve confiscated his phone._

Oh. Oh.

She wanted to reply _that’s a shame_ , but instead she typed:

_**Rae Earl:** it’s cool, don’t worry about it. _

_**Finn Nelson:** Lucky for him you’re so understanding. I’d have fucking killed him if he woke me up ;)_

_**Rae Earl:** yeah, aren’t i sweet ha ha_

_**Finn Nelson:** You sure are :)_

Well, that sucked! She didn’t want to flirt with bloody ARCHIE! And now she had all those messages on her conversation screen with Finn that he hadn’t actually typed himself, and they were there forever, reminding her that the only boys who liked her were gay. Well bollocks to that.

_**Rae Earl:** well i’m going back to bed now_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ noooo dont’ go rae i need to tell yu somehtng_

She couldn’t not laugh. What an idiot. She had to mess with him a little.

_**Rae Earl:** Archie, is that you?_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ what? no, finn! its finn_

_**Rae Earl:** got your phone back? *wink*_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ rae_

_**Rae Earl:** yeah?_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ rae_

_**Rae Earl:** yeah finn?_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ its finn_

She actually laughed out loud, and had to muffle the sound with her hand. Could he be cuter? No. Nope. Not likely.

After that there was about a full minute of nothing. Was he okay? Did he pass out? Or maybe he was running away from Archie who was trying to get the phone back and save his friend from himself. Rae had a sudden image of them both running around, zigzagging across a field at double speed, with the Benny Hill music playing in the background. She buried her face in the pillow and laughed her face off, until she heard the ping.

_**Finn Nelson:** why didnt you cometo the concert ? thats the second one rae _

_**Finn Nelson:** why you never go to the music wi_

_**Finn Nelson:** th me_

Rae sighed. Yeah, she always seemed to miss the really big nights. First Knebworth, and now today the drive down to London to see Pulp. Did he have to mention that? She was going to start crying again. Why did she have to be so messed up? Was she going to have this stupid thing she’d done hanging over her head for the rest of her life? Now her mum didn’t trust her to do fuck all. “Go to London?” Linda had said. “Will you fuck! No way, don’t even argue. Can you imagine what your doctors would say? You’re not getting in a car with a bunch of drunk teenagers and driving all the way to London. I don’t care if bloody Pop are performing!”

Rae sighed and shook her head in self-pity.

_**Rae Earl** : my mom wouldn’t let me. How was it?_

_**Finn Nelson:** IT WAS SHIT REA SHIT SHIT_

_**Rae Earl:** Pulp were shit? No way. I don’t believe you_

_**Finn Nelson:** no fun_

_**Rae Earl:** but it’s Jarvis Cocker!_

_**Finn Nelson:** fuck jarviss coker_

Okay. A serious discussion would need to take place at a later date, when they weren’t typing and he wasn’t drunk and talking absolute bollocks. But meanwhile…

_**Rae Earl:** yes please!_

Oh shit. He’s not replying. Did she go too far? Did she do that thing she does where she talks shit without thinking? Only in a text message that would never be erased? Fuck. She knew girls weren’t supposed to joke around about lusting after men. Boys do that about girls, and maybe hot girls can get away with it. But fat shapeless blobs can’t talk like that. It’s pathetic. As if Jarvis Cocker would ever - _ping_.

_**Finn Nelson:** next time come wiTH so you stand nex to me and say the singer is hot and the song is crap ok?_

She didn’t know why, but suddenly her throat was hurting with unshed tears. And at the same time, there was a huge smile on her face.

___**Finn Nelson:**__ ok rae_

_**Rae Earl:** promise_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ becose if you dont then its not you know_

_**Rae Earl:** LOL. sorry Finley, i have no clue what you’re on about :)_

There was another short pause. Rae suddenly realized this could go on for hours and as much as she’d like to text cute drunk Finn all night, she did have a meeting with Kester in the morning.

 _Ping_.

Weeeelll, maybe just a couple more hours.

_**  
Finn Nelson:** archies a wanker. tries to take myphone and i didnt tellyou yety_

_**Rae Earl:** tell me what?_

  
Another pause.

  
 _ _ _ **Finn Nelson:**__ archie says icant text you that_

_**Rae Earl:** why not_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ says if i try to t *winky face* ype it agaain he will   break my phon_

_**Rae Earl:** well maybe we better stop now and you can tell me in the morning_

___**Finn Nelson:**__ yessss i call you in the mor ning_

God, why isn’t he here, in this bed, in her arms, so she could cuddle him and tell him what a cute drunk he is… Aaaand that was her queue to stop this for good, before the much more dangerous Finn-is-my-boyfriend fantasies kicked in.

_**Rae Earl:** good night, drunky_

_**Finn Nelson:** good nigt ill call youin the morning *ghost sticking tongue out*_

_**Rae Earl:** lol. why don’t you call me when you see this, so i can take the piss, alright?_

__**Finn Nelson:** *smiling poop*  
  


It took great will power, but she turned the phone off. She lay back down and covered herself, realizing that she couldn’t stop smiling. Amazing, when only an hour ago she’d cried herself to sleep over missing Pulp.

Fifteen minutes later she pulled the phone under the covers with her, turned it on and read the whole conversation from the start. Will power? When it came to Finn Nelson, she didn’t have any.  
  


THE END


	2. "Awake?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, @madfatty, for beta-reading and cheerleading.

_Ping._

_Ping._

_Ping._

Jesus Christ, what’s wrong with everyone today? Can’t they let a hungover man sleep? It’s barely gone one PM, for fuck sake.

_Ping._

Finn grabs his phone and shoves it under the pillow. Sometimes that helps to muffle the sound, especially when he’s still half-asleep. But his head is pounding, feels like he’s being kicked in the skull repeatedly. By someone who’s really good at football. Messi or someone. How much did he drink last night? He doesn’t think it was that much. Headacheslike these usually follow a night of total anarchy, something spacial like a rave or a music festival or something, that justifies spending all your cash on drinking whatever someone might sell you. And also some chips or a kebab or ohhaawww don’t think about food! Don’t think about food!

He groans and turns to sleep on his stomach. Why is this happening to him? Seriously, how much did he drink? It can’t’ve been that much, because he remembers a lot about last night. It was a smashing night; one for the books. Watching Pulp on stage, performing the songs that were in his soul, is something he never thought would happen to him. A fag in one hand, beer in the other, his mates all around - best thing ever. Him and Rae rolling their eyes at each other when songs like Disco 2000 came on and the crowed went insane for it, the most mainstream of songs, was good. Obviously, Rae made it better by being there, because Rae always sorta makes any hangout better. She makes everyone relax and laugh and just… have more fun. Also, it’s always much better to go to a concert with someone who knows what it really means. It’s true that Archie appreciates and even likes Pulp a lot, and Chop would never pass up the opportunity to party, but neither of them have the passion that Rae has for music and stuff. Once she talked for 45 minutes about “Misshapes” and how important a song it was, and how it’s all about the misfits, and how they’re gonna be the ones to rule the world in the end, and on and on. But he liked it. No one can bend your ear about the meaning of songs like she can. She gets all excited and upset, and her chest heaves, and her face does the thing, with the eyebrows and the mouth.

He smiles, but then he gets queasy and moans, rubbing his aching stomach.

_Ping._

What?  _What?_  What is so bloody important that all the fuckers in the world feel like they need to bother him? He blinks at the phone, just in case, and sees that it’s all just Facebook notifications. Fuck Facebook and the twat who invented it.

_Ping._

He doesn’t want to talk to anyone or know what anyone “liked”. He wants to lie here with his pounding head and remember last night. As he sinks back into sleep he remembers vividly what it felt like when “This is Hardcore” came on, those first few sensual tones, and he looked at Rae in delight and surprise, and was even more delighted to see that she had turned her eyes towards him as well, same expression on her face. An expression that said YESSS, I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY PLAYED THIS SONG I LOVE THIS SONG THIS IS THE BEST SONG! And even though they had Archie standing between them, his iPhone raised to shoot the concert, Finn still somehow remembers her in extreme close up, her pink mouth following the words, her eyes closing in appreciation, her body swaying to the hypnotic music, how her hand felt in his - wait.

Finn’s eyes open in alarm and suddenly he’s wide awake.

Fuck. Oh, fucking fuck. That was all a dream, wasn’t it? None of it - none of it really happened last night. She didn’t close her eyes reverently, she didn’t put her hand in his, Pulp didn’t even do “This is Hardcore”.

He covers his eyes with the palm of his hand, partly to protect them from an afternoon sunbeam that penetrates his window, and partly because he feels like crying a little. It’s this hangover. He just feels really crap, is why. He just can’t believe she didn’t show up,  _again_. She missed Pulp, just like she missed Oasis, and he doesn’t get it, because, because, who loves Oasis and Pulp more than Rae? Hardly anyone he knows. He couldn’t believe it when he’d met her; a girl that was deeply interested in music that was made before Justin Bieber. But it’s like she doesn’t even want to go with him, with them. Every time there’s something with her.

Ping.

Ping.

He rubs his eyes and groans. Why? WHHHHHYYYYY wasn’t it true? How could it have been a dream, when it feels so fucking vivid and real even now? The feeling in his belly when she looked at him, the rush of blood when she bumped him during “Something Changed”, as if they were sharing a secret, as if that song made her think of… all the things it made him think of. She bumped his arm, the side of her breast brushing his skin, and, Jesus.

“Awww, Fuck me.” he groans again. How can he be so hungover and nauseous and so turned on at the same time?

_Ping._

He grabs the phone. “I’ll smash this fuckin’ thing - “ he would have bellowed if he could’ve, but it feels like his head is full of shards of glass, and loud sounds do not help with that. Crap. Crap.

Ignoring the multitude of notifications, Finn presses buttons with his eyes half closed, which means it takes him four tries to complete the process.

“Woke up, did ya?”

“Christ, do you have to be so cheerful, dad? My head -”

“Well, how may I help young sir, then?” his dad sounds amused and he talks too fucking loud, so that Finn hears him double.

“Could you please, please get me a brew and a tiny bit of toast?”

“Full English breakfast, coming right up, young sir!”

“No, please, just a tiny bit of toast. The corner, like. Please, or I’ll lose me dinner.”

“What dinner? Six pints of larger and a packet of crisps?”

“Could you… Dad, would you please? I’ve had a shit night.”

When they hang up, Finn lies on his back, arm covering his eyes, and tries to remember. Was it a shit night? Now that the Rae-dream is starting to fade (shame, really), it’s becoming clear that he has very little memory of the night. He gets flashes of the concert, Archie is indeed shooting the whole thing on his iPhone, and Chop is running back and forth from them to the beer tents, for more and more drinks. Rae’s not there. He vaguely remembers Archie getting a text from her when they were meeting by the cars, that she can’t make it. No explanation, no excuse, not even a “sorry, mate”. Guess she had something better to do. Something better than Pulp.

Humph.

His dad comes up the stairs with a tray, tea and a bit of toast, as instructed, and also a huge glass of water. Finn thanks him in a grumpy sort of way, and Garry only chuckles and leaves with a final, “I was going to have a word with ya about drinking too much, but I’m taking it easy on ya because of last night.”

“How’d you mean?” Finn asks, but Garry’s gone, and Finn is only half interested anyway. As he sits up to drink his tea, he opens his laptop. Might as well get caught up with all his notifications, since it doesn’t look like people want to leave him the fuck alone this morning.

“You’re joking me…” he mumbles while he scrolls down his Facebook feed. Looks like his mates have been busy. The entire night was already posted and tagged, with comments and likes. Seriously, what was even the point of trying to remember stuff? If he doesn’t remember the concert, it’s okay - seems like every person in the audience (including Archie) had uploaded bits of it to YouTube. Doesn’t remember the set list, especially later on, as he got more and more pissed, but that’s no trouble, because with a simple google search he could find ten versions of it, one comes with long paragraphs following every song, explaining and dissecting every choice. One is an actual photo of the actual paper that was taped to the stage floor. Oh, and there are dozens of pictures of him and his mates, mucking about on the ride over, standing in line, standing in line closer to the gates, standing in line to get beer, drinking the beer, standing in another effin’ line (he has no clue what that line was for. Chips?), and then during the actual concert, and probably puking their way home. He stopped looking mid-concert. He noticed how grumpy he looked, in every single picture. While Chop was jumping about and running around, and Archie was laughing and waving his hands over his head, Finn was just sorta standing there, hair on his face, cigarette in his right hand, beer in the other. Fucking miserable at Pulp. What the fuck?

There might be something to all those things his mates say about him when they take the piss. Maybe he is a grumpy old sod. Old before his time. He would say it’s the nausea talking, but the evidence is every fucking where, and he’s not the only one noticing, because people are commenting on it.

One photo in particular is amusing to the people he loosely calls his mates. He must have been pretty wasted by then because he doesn’t remember it at all. It was him with beer all over his shirt, and he’s standing there looking pissed and murderous, giving the camera the two-fingered salute and scowling. He looked… Just…

Miserable.

As if that right there was the worst thing that ever happened to him. Why? What the hell was his problem?

**_Chloe Gemmell_**   Was it a concert or a funeral, Finn? LOL

**_Chop Peters_   **not one of you finest moments, mate!

**_Marissa Crage_   **is that beer all over his shirt? Thank you, nameless person who bumped Finn Nelson and got his white shirt all wet! HA HA!!!

**_Deepa Lindi_**    wet tshirt contest! Whoohoooo! Though, you look scary Finn. Did you murder the guy that spilled the beer? :P

**_Marissa Crage_**    where did you burry the body? HA HA you look like you want to kill someone for reeeeeaaaalsss

_**Marty Hawell**  _  pulp they so old maybe it were there funeral!

**_Rae Earl_**    Marty, you know shit about music

**_Marty Hawell_**    i know enouf not to spend a shit load of dosh on a band that should be six feet under,

**_Rae Earl_**    Now you’re just embarrassing yourself. Also, learn to spell.

**_Archie Levy_**    Guys, guys, can’t you see your argument is upsetting Finn

_**Rae Earl**  _  lol

**_Marty Hawell_    **How can you tell? ;)

_**Archie Levy**  _  I was there, I heard him growl

**_Rae Earl_**    It is a shame about the 99 album covers Tshirt, it was mint

**_Archie Levy_    **May it rest in peace

**_Chloe Gemmell_**    omg you guys, you found out who’s funeral it was!

And fuck him if it didn’t go on and on. What is wrong with people? Why do they enjoy taking the piss out of him so bloody much? Why is Rae acting like nothing happened between them oh, right, that was the dream, well, why is she acting like she didn’t totally bail on the concert, and why was he looking like that in the photo?

He blinks at the photo description: Our little ray of sunshine, true to form, got all upset when someone spilled beer on him during a song he likes.

God, Archie. Why are you enjoying it so much. Wait. There was something… About Archie. And… A struggle? Did they have a fight? Oh shit, he hopes he didn’t hurt Archie… But he can’t quite remember what -

A flash of memory comes back all of a sudden. There  _was_ a song… And Finn got all, emotional like, and he…

It was “Something Changed”. That part wasn’t a dream. They did “Something Changed” and he was washed with feelings and thoughts and suddenly it was unbearable, just unbelievably unbearable that Rae wasn’t there, because… Because… that song was kinda…

About her.

“Woah,” he hears himself say.

That’s what happened. That’s this photo. He had just gone through a real moment, an eye-opening, scary-as-fuck, epiphany moment. And then some wanker bumped him with a full pint and he lost it, that feeling, that elusive emotion. That thrilling shiver down his back. About Rae. About how he feels about Rae.

“Rae.” he tells himself; the single syllable hovers in the silence of his bedroom.

_Ping._

_Ping._

_Fucking ping._

THE END (TBC, maybe)

 


	3. "Awake?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn is in a little place called Denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, @madfatty, for beta-reading and cheerleading.

“Oh, no no no.” Finn throws his body back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The laptop holding all the evidence of the night before is still in his lap.

Oh no. What are you thinking, Finn? You can’t be havin’ thoughts like that. She’s a  _mate_. You don’t think about your mates like that. It’d be like waking up one day suddenly realizing you fancied  _Archie_. Ridiculous, really.

He rubs his eyes, his temples, scratches the stubble on his jaw. Well, obviously it’s just one of them feelings that, like, linger after a dream. It’s random, doesn’t mean anything. He was so effin’ pissed, and he feels so much like shit now, that this is only because he’s all confused and not thinking clearly. His brain is just not working properly.

So, it’s not real. So, great. So… moving on.

He sits up, pulls the laptop to him with a sigh and starts going through the photos again, intending to give it his full attention this time. Unfortunately, as he is starting from the top of his Facebook feed, he finds the last photo of Last Night’s Saga first. It’s him, holding on to Archie and obviously stumbling, at the front of his house. His face is obscured by his fringe and Archie is laughing. And by the angle of the camera and the slight unfocused details, he can imagine Chop is also in stitches. The caption says: “It’s almost dawn when we get home. Finn seemed to have forgiven me my previous back-stabbing and is in a fine mood again. See? All’s well that ends well! Thank you all for coming with us on this Magical Mystery Tour!”

Under it there are a few amused comments, thanking Archie and Chop for the entertainment. Two people ask point blank what made Finn all happy again, and Chop added his own take: “At this point all he was able to say was “tomorrow morning” over and over, What a knob.”

What. The. Actual. Fuck. Why are people putting his life on the internet while he’s sleeping? Is it fair that everybody in the world knows stuff about him even he doesn’t? He’s going to kill Archie and then use the body to give Chop a good beating as well. And what was all that about a back-stabbing? What did Archie do and should Finn be angry with him? Because he will be, no problem. His mood is leaning towards a double murder as it is.

He brings his left hand up to scratch his scalp thoroughly, while his right continues to scroll backwards through the photos. It’s like fucking Memento over here.

He finds the photo of him and Arch fighting. Well, he’s more lying there like a scowly limp noodle, while Archie is sitting on him laughing, arms stretched above their heads, as they both struggle for Finn’s phone. The caption reads: “Just trying to save you from yourself, mate!” And below that there are a billion million likes and comments: Look at those two idiots! ha ha! / I think it’s hoooottt / Get a room, you guys! / Should we all leave? like do you guys need a minute? lol / get it! get that phone! go go Nelson! *winkie face* / BUT WHO WAS HE TRYING TO CALL?? / Why are you all watching this bullshit like it’s fucking BBC drama? / Ahhh, because it’s FASCINATING, you twat / yea, miles, what r u doin here if your not interested / seriously. you guys ,i’m not kidding right now ,someone tell me who hes calling all night / WHO AER U TEXTING thou / hhaaaaaa you couple of benders!!!!!!!111 get of him archer you poofter have some shame / Shut the fuck up about Archie, Simmy. I’m not kidding. Don’t make me kick your ass. / Relax, slag / BYE SIMMY, IT HAS BEEN DISGUSTING TO KNOW YA. / I blocked him, Chloe, don’t worry. I have to deal with him in rl, but fuck if I’m going to have him polluting my feed. Now, can everyone go back to gossiping about Finn, please? / Yeah, so are you gonna tell us who he was trying yo text? / Course not. Do you think I will stop him texting and then post it online five minutes later? / Who knows, Levi, you’ve been putting every other thing online / Fuckng simmy. want me to fuck him up for ya Archie? / Guys, i’ve only now read everything. are we saying Finn Nelson has a crush on someone????????????????????????????????????? / No, thanks, Amy, blocking him is enough for now. But can I take a raincheck? / Anyway, here’s Wonderwall.

WHAT??

Finn reads all this, mouth gaping and closing alternatively. The tea has gone cold and his stomach is doing flips as he fumbles for his iPhone, and misses it. The thing slides to the floor with a worrying clank, slides under the bed when Finn attempts to grab it. He leans as far as he can go without actually getting up from the bed to retrieve it, almost throws up on the floor but manages to get passed the urge, moaning and swearing, he grabs at the now scratched and dusty device, and then finally he’s able to click on Archie’s face.

And go straight to voice mail. “What the hell, Arch? Call me back. CALL ME BACK RIGHT NOW!” he shouts into the receiver.

As he waits for his best mate and possible biggest Judas to call him back, he keeps scrolling. Rae has hardly left any comments. Not that he’s counting. Just noticing, in passing. People keep talking about who he’s texting. Who the hell was he texting? He has a horrible, nausea-inducing suspicion that he knows exactly who he kept trying to call in the middle of the night.

He swipes the screen again, clicks some buttons, and there it is, right on top of the list of recent Whatsapp convos. Rae Earl. Oh no. No, no, no. He clicks her name with a shaky finger, scrolls backwards, not daring to read it yet. He takes a breath, preparing for the worst. Did he gush to her about the bloody song? Was she mad at him for waking her? Maybe he was too drunk to make any sense. Yes, that is his only hope.

He looks for the time stamp - 2:43am. Bloody two forty three am!

”Awake?” Is his first message. He actually sent this to a girl he’s only been friends with a few weeks, at 2:43am. God knows what she thinks of him. He should tell her he didn’t mean it, not  _like that_. Because he  _didn’t_. She’s  _Rae_. She’s only Rae, it doesn’t mean anything.

His dad walks in the room. No knock or anything. Apparently, the concept of privacy does not exist in Finn’s world. “I’m off to the car wash and shopping. Be back in a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, okay, fine.”

“Want me to get you anything? I’m doing a big shop.”

“Some self respect if they have it on sale.”

Garry laughs. “All caught up on the exploits of last night, are ya?”

Finn only grunts, but then his dad says, “figured out who the girl is yet?”

“What girl?”

“You know, the lass you’ve been harassing all night with your love sick texts and messages.”

“You what? I didn’t, I’m not - what the hell do you know about it?”

“Read about it online, didn’t I?” Garry gives him a cheeky grin, as he grabs the abandoned tea tray, figuring he might as well take it downstairs.

Finn raises serious, frightened eyes to his father. ”Dad. Tell me the truth now. Don’t mess me about.”He grips the laptop hard with both hands, holding on to it for dear life. “Are you on Facebook?”

“Oh, yeah! Chop showed me how and he friended me right away, and after that it was no trouble finding out every little thing my boy is up to, every single hour of every single day!” and he leans and gives Finn an affectionate kiss on the top of his head, as if he’s a five year old again.

“Dad! You can’t do that!”

“Every step you take… every move you make…” Garry sings on his way out the door and down the stairs, and when Finn yells at him “Well, whatever, I’ve decided to quit fucking, bloody, shaggin’ Facebook anyway!” his dad only laughs some more, and soon there is the sound of the door slamming downstairs.

“Jesus Christ, what is my life turning into.” Finn grumbles, and goes back to reading his Whatsapp messages to Rae.

Well, it’s not that bad.

A) She seemed amused and she sorta went along with it.

B) Archie, lovely beautiful darling best mate that he is, has stepped in almost right away and saved the day. He should buy him a thank you gift. Like, one of them poncey fruit basket thingies. A huge one.

C) He didn’t really confess anything much. Not that there was anything to confess. Not that there  _is_. Because they’re  _friends_ , and he doesn’t even think about her like that. He wasn’t upset that she wasn’t there, just thought that it’s a shame, FOR HER, to be missing this gig. What, like he needs her to be everywhere he goes? Course not. It’s maybe a bit more fun if she goes, but that’s - well, she’s a mate! A beautiful girl-mate. With shiny hair that goes on and on. And legs that he can only imagine also go on and on. And breasts that go on and on, but again, it doesn’t mean anything except that he has eyes, and he’s a boy, and when there’s a pretty girl who’s cool and funny and knows music and has kissable lips and a smooth cheek you just want to rub your face against - he notices. That’s it, that’s all there is to it. It doesn’t. Mean. Anything.

He breaths deeply and puts the laptop down and the phone away; lies back on the bed and covers his head with the blanket. He’s in big trouble. Big, big trouble.

THE END

_TBC_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is dedicated to @madfatty, she who makes this story happen with some sort of witchcraft. I always say “This is the last part!”, and suddenly there’s another part…

Three hours later, Finn is pacing in the beer garden outside the pub, smoking what is probably his seventh ciggie of the day. He’s lost count. After a few minutes, Chop shuffles his way towards him with a smile.

“There he is, the big knobhead. Didn’t think you’d show your face, even for the debrief.”

“With friends like you lot, who needs a debrief?” Finn’s face is pinched. He is not happy with Chop, not one little bit. “What’s there to tell about last night that you wankers didn’t already broadcast?”

“Got to have some fun, what can I tell ya?.” Chop shrugs, not even registering Finn’s annoyance with him. “Coming in? The girls are all in there already.”

“I’m waiting for Archie.”

“Yeah? Should I stay to pry you off him, or are you gonna be fine?”

Finn waves him away with his cigarette and Chop chuckles and leaves.

Finn takes a seat at one of the wooden tables and fumes. Didn’t think he’d show his face at the debrief. Cheeky bastard. Who does he think  _invented_ the debrief? And anyway, he had to come, had to do some serious damage-control. Talk to Archie (who still has not called him back), stop all of them from gossiping like a pack of hens (because if they went on like that online, he has no doubt that his so-called friends will have no problem taking the piss behind his back).

There was another reason he dragged himself miserably out of his comfy warm bed, to stumble and grumble all the way to The Swan, only four hours after waking up to his own personal media disaster, but he won’t put that into words. 

As he tosses the butt away, he sees Archie coming his way, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets and head bent. Finn jumps up from the bench (gingerly) and hurries to grab his friend before he reaches the entrance to the pub.

“Where the hell have you been?” he hisses, as he’s not in a state to shout. “I’ve been calling and leaving messages - “

“Oh, don’t  _you_ start on me now,” Archie moans. “I’ve had enough being shouted at for one day.”

Finn looks at his mate, noticing how stressed he looks. “What happened to you?”

“Rae.”

Finn narrows his eyes. “What about Rae?”

“That’s who I’ve been on the phone with all sodding afternoon. She kept calling me, wouldn’t let up.”

“Why?”

Archie looks away, has the audacity to look annoyed. “Why d’you think? She saw all those fucking messages on Facebook, figured out it’s her you’d been trying to text.”

“Fuck, Archie!”

“I know, but she’s not stupid. She figured it out. Sorry, mate.”

“Yeah, we’ll discuss exactly how much I’m going to kill ya in a moment.”

“Hey,” Archie takes a step towards him and points a finger at Finn’s chest. “Look, I’m sorry about the Facebook thing, that was dumb but I couldn’t know everyone would lose their shit and that she would freak out, and don’t forget, I tried to stop you all fucking night from arriving at this exact,” he pokes Finn’s chest, “moment.” another poke.

“Fine. Whatever. Your fruit basket’s on its way. Now what’d she want?”

He watches his mate huff and adjust his glasses. “She wanted to know what you were trying to type that I wouldn’t let ya.”

“Oh, great. JUST GREAT, Archie!” he turns his back, waves his hands about in frustration. Then sharply turns back. “And what d’you tell her?”

“That I was too drunk, don’t remember.”

“What?!” Finn is seriously about to lose it. He drives both his hands in his hair in frustration with a feeling of foreboding. “Well, she’s not gonna believe  _that_ , is she? Not after you wrote War and bloody Peace about it, describing every small fuckin’ detail!”

“Yeah… that’s pretty much what Rae said.” Archie looks at his shoes.

Finn is speechless for a moment then he asks in a voice that is way too high. “Well, then what did you tell her?”

“I dunno, that it’s not my secret to tell and… well, that she should ask you. “

“Secret? Tell me you didn’t call it a SECRET!”

Archie shrugs. “Sorry. She just wouldn’t let up!”

“So now she thinks it’s this big secret, when in fact it’s nothing! You just blew this whole disaster out of proportion!”

“It’s  _nothing_ , Finn? Seriously, that’s what you’re going with?”

Finn doesn’t like the look Archie is giving him. Kinda knowing and disbelieving. “‘Cause it’s true.” and when Archie lifts a questioning eyebrow Finn raises his voice. “I was pissed out of my brains, mate, you know that! Could’ve been anyone I was calling. Could’ve called Jenna or Stacey or anyone!”

“Well, first let’s count our blessings that you didn’t call either of those vapid cows, and now let me ask you - do you even remember what it is you were trying to text her in your drunken confessional?”

It suddenly occurs to Finn that he  _doesn’t_  know. That he just assumed that it was… something. Something he doesn’t want to confess. Not even to himself.

“Well, whatever,” Archie says and looks at his watch. “We have bigger problems.”

Bigger problems? This feels pretty fucking big to Finn. And what’s with the “we”?

He furrows his brows and Archie adjust his glasses again in a sure sign of discomfort. “Well, when I wouldn’t tell her… she… she kinda…”

“What?”

“Kinda got it into her head that we were, that it was, erm… that we were talking shit about her. “

Finn’s lost. This is a twist he was not expecting. Why would they ever talk shit about her? She’s their friend and she’s brilliant. What is going on?

Archie shuffles around, hands shoved deep in his pockets again. “She’s decided that the only possible explanation is that we were talking about how she’s… about her. And you decided to take the piss via text message and I stopped you from sending it.”

“But that’s mental.”

“I know, but that’s what she thinks now.”

“Well, did you tell her it weren’t like that? That we would never do anything like that?”

“What do you think I’ve been doing this entire afternoon? ‘Course I’ve told her, but she only has bad past experiences to compare this to, so now she thinks the worst. You know what she’s like.” he looks at his watch again. “We better go in, start the groveling,” and he turns to leave.

But Finn is not ready to go in. “Wait a minute!” he calls after Archie, who’s at the pub’s door, while Finn’s still in the beer garden, confused and a bit sick.  _You know what she’s like_ , he’d said, but obviously, Finn doesn’t know what’s Rae’s like, because he has no idea what Arch is talking about. What is she like? How does Archie know? Why doesn’t he know? He thinks that even if he makes a list of all the things that she’s like, he’ll not find one item on it to explain how she could think that they were making fun of her. Especially when the truth is the total opposite.

He manages to grab Archie’s arm just as he opens the door. Laughter and music waft from inside, along with a heavy smell of booze and cigarette smoke, but Finn shuts the door again and holds his hand flat on it. “What is she like? What d’you mean?”

His mate lowers his voice and talks closer to Finn’s ear, as if someone inside could possibly hear them. “You know, like how she always believes the worst about herself and thinks she’s useless and ugly, because people are always making fun of her…  So now she thinks we were making fun of her as well, saying she’s… she’s fat and stuff. The usual, you know.” Archie peers at him through his glasses, looks deep into Finn’s eyes, reading the bewilderment in them. “You don’t know?”

Finn’s heart feels like it’s in a vise. He can hardly believe what he’s hearing. Some of it just sounds like gibberish to him. Shaking his head in confusion he stammers for a second before saying, “but… but she’s gorgeous.”

Archie looks at him a few more seconds, then surprisingly smiles. “It’s nothing, is it, Finn?

+++

All his resolve to prove that there’s nothing going on with him and Rae, to treat her just like normal, to act cool like nothing’s happened, soon crashes against the wall of Rae’s silence. She doesn’t speak to him or Archie. When they come in and are greeted by everyone, she barely looks at them, let alone utters a word of greeting.

Boy, she really is really upset with them.

He can’t blame her, thinking what she’s thinking. And all that stuff that Archie’d said… Finn can’t even process all of that. People are always making fun of her. OF WHAT? Of how funny and lovely and generous she is? Of what a good listener she is? Of how she has excellent music recommendations that never miss? Of how she takes amazing photos with a thousand hits on Instagram? What is there to mock?  _Fat. Ugly._  He can’t believe that’s what people see when they look at her. And worse - that that’s  _all_ they see, when there’s so much more to her. And the thought of people - wankers, bitches and bastards - saying things to her, to make her feel… to make her not know… what a totally unique, one of a kind, beautiful girl she is…

He sits there, his heart hurting for her, sneaking glances her way, taking stock of every lovely feature, until her grumpy silence towards their side of the table just gets to him, and he decides to test his luck.

“Hey, Rae.”

Nothing.

“Rae.”

Her head turns towards his voice, just a fraction. Feels like she only responded at all because it would be impolite not to. Bravely, he continues.

“I was gonna find a new shirt to replace the “99 Album Covers” one that got ruined. Fancy coming over to look through Threadless with me?”

Feels like the entire table is holding its collective breath for her answer, while she takes a long sip of her beer and doesn’t look at him. “No thanks.” she says finally.

He feels so defeated. He really thought it would work.  _Thought you’d give her a smile and a wink and she’d forget why she’s upset with you? Well, it always worked before…_

But she’s different. She’s better than all them girls. She’s a totally unique, one of a kind -

_thinks she’s useless and ugly_

_people are always making fun of her_

_fat and stuff. The usual, you know_

_you don’t know?_

Finn picks up his phone. Under the table he types a Whatsapp message.

**_Finn Nelson:_**   hey, Rae

He waits, watches her half-pick her phone up from the table, look at who’s message it is, and push the phone away in disgust. He takes a deep breath.

**_Finn Nelson:_**   Rae

**_Finn Nelson:_**   Rae

**_Finn Nelson:_**   Rae

**_Finn Nelson:_**   Rae, pick up, i need to tell you something very important

Rae’s phone pings and pings. Eventually, she gives up and peeks at it again. Finn watches her huff at it, then her thumb is moving across the surface of the phone.

**_Rae Earl_ _:_**  in case you havnt noticed, im not speaking to you

**_Finn Nelson:_**   i’ve noticed. But this is important.

**_Rae Earl:_**  well?

**_Finn Nelson:_**   I remembered what i wanted to tell you last night

He can see her scrunching her face in the glow of the phone. She looks suspicious, as if she is still waiting for some sort of prank to be played on her.

**_Rae Earl:_**  oh, did you.

**_Finn Nelson:_**   yes

He looks at her and catches her glancing at him for a split second.

_**Rae Earl:**_  all right, let’s have it.

Big breath. It’s all about to go down. No turning back now. No lying to himself anymore. No pretending to be a mate when what he really wants is to be the one who makes her feel precious and special and strong, to be there for her when she takes on the whole world. Big breath.

**_Finn Nelson:_**  i wanted to tell you that i think you’re beautiful 

She only shakes her head.

**_Rae Earl:_**  how drunk are you, Finn?

**_Finn Nelson:_**   i’m not drunk.

**_Rae Earl:_**   sure

**_Finn Nelson:_**   i’m not! Ask archie!

**_Rae Earl:_**   just forget it, finn, it’s not funny 

**_Finn Nelson:_**  but i remembered more stuff!

That’s where he loses her, because to her this is him being nasty. When she throws her phone down on the table, he can see her eyes are shiny with tears, her mouth is tight. She’s two seconds from bailing.

Finn’s fingers fly across the glowing screen. Rae’s phone pings.

**_Finn Nelson:_**   last nigt i wanted to text yo that the night is crap, because youre not there

**_Finn Nelson:_**  that things are only fun anymore if you’re ther

**_Finn Nelson:_**  That i missed you, i wanted to hear the songs with you and hold your hand and

**_Finn Nelson:_**   when they played SOMETHING CHANGED  i though about you

He can’t see her reaction because he can’t stop typing. He can’t afford to stop, he has one chance to get it all out and do it right, and his brain is spilling over with things to say. He never knew what to say, and suddenly it’s so easy –

**_Finn Nelson:_**   cause you kinda changed everything. for me. and    
  
**_Rae Earl:_**   you need to stop drinking. And STOP TEXTING   
  
**_Finn Nelson:_**  Rae, i swear to god i’m not drunk   
  
He looks up to see her looking at him with a serious face, finally making eye contact.

He’s back to texting, this time to Archie, who’s sitting next to him.

**_Finn Nelson:_**   Arch, tell Rae i’m not drunk

Archie turns to her and says in a clear, and loud, voice “Finn’s not drunk, Rae.”

“Don’t - just say it!” Finn whisper-shouts. “Wha’s wrong with ya?”

But it’s too late, because now the others are all interested.   
  
”What’s going on between you three?” asks Chloe, eyes narrow.

“Nothing. Finn’s drunk.” mumbles Rae.  
  
”I’m not drunk!” he loudly protests, just as Chloe says, “No he’s not, he’s still on his first pint.”

All eyes are on Rae, and Finn’s holding his breath. This could go either way.

“I’m… I’m gonna go get some air.” she says, grabbing her leather jacket and leaving. Chloe seems to be considering the situation, then she sighs and goes after Rae.

“What’s going on, mate?” Chops asking, as Finn puts his head on the table and covers it with his hands.

“Is this about last night?” Izzy asks, patting Finn’s back in a comforting way, but he only groans.

“Hey, mate, how about another drink, ey? My shout.” Chop offers.

“Are you joking?” Finn says. “I’m never drinking again.”

 

THE END   
_(TBC I guess)_


	5. Chapter 5

 

Rae lets the pub door slam after her, takes a few steps and stops. She literally has no idea where she’s going or what to do next. She can’t go home; all her stuff is still inside. And she defo can’t go back in there after all that.

“AAAaarrgggh why are boys so confusing!?” she yells, since there’s no one around to hear her. She leans against the beer garden fence, hugging herself. Seriously, what is he playing at? Why would he do that to her? She’s been on the receiving end of some pretty humiliating practical jokes in her short life , but she has to admit, Finn is really going the extra mile. When she thinks how cute she’s found it, him sending her seemingly-drunk messages in the middle of the night…

She sighs. She just doesn’t get it and she wishes she wasn’t so fucking disappointed in him for turning out to be _that guy_.

“Hey, babes.” Chloe comes to stand next to her, leaning on the fence as well. “You okay?”

Rae tries on a smile. “Oh, yeah, yeah. It was just… all that cigarette smoke in there, you know?”

“Yeah, whatever. So what’s going on between you and Finn, then?”

Oh, Chloe. Always so subtle, always with the beating around the bush.

“Dunno.” Rae shrugs. “Something, though.”

At Chloe raised eyebrows, Rae hands over her phone. While her bestie scrolls up Finn’s Whatsapp page to get to the start, Rae is blushing and scuffing the tip of her shoe against the grass and mumbles. “I pretty much worked it out. It’s either an elaborate prank,”

“Or?”

“That’s it, that’s all I got.”

Chloe doesn’t even dignify that with an answer. Her lips are moving while her thumb is swiping the screen. “Oh my god, Rae.” she scrolls some more. “OH MY GOD, Rae! When did he send that?”

“Just now. And those other ones were the famous _last night_ ones. So what do you think?” Rae bites her thumb nervously. “An elaborate prank, right?”

“Are you joking? This is romantic as shit!”

“Yes,” Rae nods in agreement. “Phase one of the prank requires loads of romance.”

“Stop saying the word prank, silly cow. Finn would never do something like that to ya. He’s a really nice guy, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he is.”

“And Archie would never do that to ya neither. Because he knows you can punch him in the face.”

“So, what?”

Chloe huffs. “Look, I don’t know. But I’ll tell you this for nothing - Finn Nelson does not send these sorts of texts to girls every day.”

“How d’you know?”

There’s something sad and fleeting in Chloe’s voice, in her careless shrug. So fleeting that if you didn’t know her as well as Rae does, you could easily mistake it for lightness. “Well, he never sent any to me.” she says.

Rae ignores her friend’s implication that, if something as (allegedly) romantic as this should happen to anyone, it should happen to her. She presses on, needing Chloe’s advice and extensive knowledge of the confusing opposite sex more than she needs to scoff or roll her eyes at this point. “So what are you saying? Is he taking the piss?”  


“I don’t know, babes, I think it’s for real…”

“It is.” says Finn behind them. They both turn guiltily, to see him walking towards them.

Oh, shit. Where to hide? Where to run? Has he been standing there, listening to their private conversation? Maybe she could pretend to be angry about that and just go on the offensive?

But meanwhile, Chloe is totally ditching her, saying, “Oookkkay, that’s my cue to go back in for some more second hand smoke,” and she’s gone.

Rae’s left standing there in front of this beautiful boy, with his slightly disheveled fringe (he’d be so upset if he knew), trying to discern if his sheepish look is because he’s ashamed of being caught fucking with her, or because he’s genuinely struggling in the moment.

He’s just standing there, looking at her, not saying anything, and Rae goes a little crazy. She can see that he’s trying, really trying to say something, but she can’t wait because she’s frustrated and confused and perhaps humiliated, she doesn’t know yet. So eventually she just blurts out the truth of the moment. “You’re really freaking me out, Finn. You know that?”

He looks slightly alarmed. “I don’t mean to. Look,” he takes one step towards her, and she feels like taking a step back, except the fence is at her back, and what is she even running from? “About all that, erm, in there… I… I just figured the best thing would be to just tell the truth, so that you’re not mad at me. I don’t like it when, when you’re mad at me.”

Rae notes his struggle, the way his voice kinda fades at the end there. Is he just an awesome actor, or what? “The truth,” she repeats.

“Yeah, the truth. About… about… “Something Changed”, actually.”

“What, the song?”

“Yes, the song.”

“This should be interesting,” she folds her arms in front of her body. “Alright, let’s have it.”

He looks like he didn’t plan on her actually stopping to listen. She watches him take a deep breath, scratch at his messy hair. “Erm… right.” Suddenly his eyes light up, and he reaches for his phone, clicks the Whatsapp icon. Is he going to… text her?

She places her palm on the screen of his phone. “No,” she says. “Enough of that. Just look at me and say things, Finn.”

Regretfully, he puts his phone back into his jacket pocket. His eyes dart around for a few seconds, and then he takes another step toward her. Bloody hell, Finn Nelson is standing so close she can smell his CK-One, and if you’d’ve told her even two days ago that she’d be a part of an odd little scenario such as this…

“Okay , here goes. Rae… fuck. Look - okay. I’m shit at this. I’m just gonna borrow other people’s words, alright? And yeah - ” he lifts his hand as if to stop her speaking, which she wasn’t even planning on doing. “I know it’s, like, lame and childish, but, well, if anyone can appreciate this, it’s… It’s you.”

She has a second to wonder what the hell that could possibly mean, and how all this figures into the gag, when he starts. “When… I woke up that morning, I had no way of knowing… that in a matter of hours we’ll change the way we were going. Where would I be now if we’ve never met? Would I be -” he stops suddenly and shakes his head. “D’you know, I can’t even imagine saying this to someone else instead.“ He’s staring at the patch of grass between their feet through the whole thing, apparently finding it difficult to look at her.

Rae really, seriously, unbearably, has no idea what to think.

“You’re quoting Pulp.” she says eventually.

“Well, yeah. It’s what I - it’s the truth.”

Long seconds pass in mutual confused silence.

“And you’re not drunk.”

He finally looks at her. “Stone cold sober.”

“And you… L….ike me?”

Finn shrugs. He fucking _shrugs_! She’d just done one of the bravest things she’d ever done in her life, asking him this ridiculous, unlikely question, out loud and to his face. Does he have any idea what that takes for her? She’d just put everything on the line, and he fucking shrugs?? No. Nope. No fucking way, Nelson.

“Yeah. No. I’m sorry but that’s bullshit. I need you to _say_ it, actually _say_ things, Finn! Because you don’t know me very well yet, but let me tell ya, I’ve got issues, right? Lots of issues. And right now I’m still not 100% convinced that you’re not just pulling my leg and being a dickhead, and… and… I mean, quoting “Something Changed”, that’s not something you just do, Finn. Like, what were you even thinking? That song is not for people who only met a few weeks ago, that’s a song for people who are each other’s _destiny_ or something, you know? It’s for, like, married couples and… and soul-mates and shit, so you can’t just - “

“Would it help if I kissed ya?”

Well, that shut her up.

“Wh- wha - I - wha-?”

Her gaze seems to zoom in on his lips. How are they always so red and delicious-looking? Well, fuck. If she gets nothing else out of this baffling and still highly suspicious situation, at least she’d get to kiss that luscious mouth.

“Rae?”

She totally fakes being cool when she replies. “Yes, that would actually help a lot.”

He moves in. He doesn’t say “As if I’d kiss a scrubber like you” or anything like that. He doesn’t snigger and his mates don’t appear from around the corner, taking the piss out of her for falling for that classic gag. He just puts his mouth on hers, beer and cigarettes, but still sweet, still softer than she could have imagined, his hand on her arm burning her through her long sleeve shirt.

And he’s not going for “chaste first kiss”, either. This guy, he knows what he’s doing, and she feels helpless, just going along with whatever his lips suggest. His hand leaves her arm to touch her face, gently guide them into a deeper kiss that Rae feels all over. Sweet Jesus, he can teach this stuff at an international level.

And yet, when it’s over, his brown eyes peer up at her shyly. She didn’t even know that Finn Nelson could be shy. Like, he is a legend. She is a zero. Things are happening here that defy the laws of nature.

“How was that? Convincing?” he smiles, their faces still tantalizingly close.

But as much as she wants another beautiful kiss, she’s still in a bit of a vengeful mood and she shrugs. “Suppose”.

“Because I could try again, if ya like. Really prove I’m telling the truth.”

“Na, you’re alright.”

He frowns a little. “Soooo… What now?”

“Lets go back in, I need another pint in me.” she steps around him, and feels a kind of relief to not be so close to his body. Man, that boy can kiss. She needs a moment to catch her breath, to be less blushy by the time she reaches the gang’s table, or they’ll all know and Chop will say something horrible and true.

“Wait!” Finn’s voice stops her on the way to the door. “Aren’t you going to - I mean… You, well you haven’t told me if you… you know.”

“What?”

“Like me back, like.” He’s sheepish again. Fuck, she wants to eat him up.

“Oh, that.” Rae’s face is a picture of genuine innocence. “D’you know what? I don’t remember.”

Finn frowns in annoyance. “What does that mean?”

“I’m just so drunk, ya know?” she tells him, walking backwards.

“Serious? You’re gonna kiss me like that and then not say anything?” he follows her and stands baffled before her. “I quoted Pulp!”

Barely hiding her amusement, Rae taps his arm once and says pointedly, “I’ll text ya.” and walks in.

She can hear him a second before the door of The Swan is shut behind her, muttering to himself, “Bloody hell, that didn’t go like the song at all.”

+++

_Epilogue_  
  


**_Finn Nelson:_**   Rae

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Hey, Rae, you awake?

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Rae

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Awake?

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   No

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   U sure?

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   very

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Oh, ok

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   wait, why?

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   I can’t stop thinking about our kiss

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   put archie on

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   I’m not drunk. See the spelling?

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   very good spellin but i’m asleep

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Sure?

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   pretty sure

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Shame. cause I’m outside your house

 _ **Rae Earl:**_ :  What???W?

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   You know, you seem really awake to me

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   What r u doin? me mum’ll lynch ya!!!

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Come here and kiss me again

 _ **Rae Earl:**_ :  IT’s the middle of the night

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   so?

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   so you’re a freak

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Maybe, but i’m not a drunk freak, and archie isn’t here so he can’t stop me telling you that i miss you and i think about you so please would you come down here and kiss me again?

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Rae?

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   shit are you mad at me again?

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   Rae??

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   i’m thinking about it, ok?

 _ **Rae Earl:**_   freak

 ** _Finn Nelson:_**   *heart eyes*

 ** _ _ **Rae Earl**_ :_**  *smiling poop*

 

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, boys and girls, this strange little Fanfic That Could has come to an end. It started as a fun prompt (everyone say “Thank you, borntosik!”) and was supposed to be short one-off, but it took on a life of its own, while you all stood in the sidelines encouraging it!
> 
> So, everyone say “Thank you, me!” and congratulate yourselves, because your amazing feedback, your demands to know what happened next, your crazy insistence that it is funny (weirdos) - and how-ardently who wanted all the words, even if it was just the dialogue with nothing in between - is what got us here today.
> 
> And of course, a huge “Thank you, madfatty“, cheerleader and beta-reader and wonderful friend to this story. She kept demanding more!
> 
> I love you all.


End file.
